Wieber wins women's world all-around gymnastics title

(TOKYO, JPN) - US national champion Jordyn Wieber narrowly grabbed the women's all-around title at the world gymnastics championships in Tokyo on Thursday, with a dramatic comeback on the final floor exercise.

She collected 59.382 points with Russia's Youth Olympic champion Viktoria Komova 0.033 points behind. Rising Chinese star Yao Jinnan finished third with 58.598.

The battle of the 16-year-olds went down to the wire with Komova leading Wieber by 0.434 points into the final rotation.

Wieber, who led the United States to their first women's world team title since 2007 on Tuesday, scored 14.800 despite landing out of bounds after a diagonal tumbling.

Komova performed last in the elite group of top qualifiers but a couple of false steps cost her dearly. She waved her hands to the crowd after her performance, possibly believing she had won, but she scored 14.333.

"It was definitely a little nerve-wracking," Wieber said, remembering how she had waited for the final result. "It turned out amazing. I was so happy to see my name on the top. I wasn't really expecting it all so I was surprised."

The result stunned Komova, who was recovering from an ankle injury which sidelined her from the European championships in April.

"I was surprised at the score," said the Russian, who edged Wieber out in qualifying and thought she did better in the final.

"I don't like to lose for hundredths of a point. I'm very upset because it was time to win the gold medal."

Wieber, one of four first-year seniors on the US squad, brought the women's all-around title back to her country.

Bridget Sloan won the title in 2009 but Aliya Mustafina triumphed last year when she powered Russia to the team gold for the first time since the Soviet Union's victory in 1991.

Mustafina, 17, had stayed home to recover after knee surgery, leaving Komova in the leading role for Russia's title defences.

Wieber herself was filling in for senior teammates as Sloan and world multiple-medallist Rebecca Bross were missing due to injury.

The US squad were further depleted when Beijing Olympic captain Alicia Sacramone, the 2010 world vault champion, went home for surgery on an Achilles tendon she tore in training.

Wieber topped the opening event, vault, with a 2-1/2 twist to score 15.716. Komova's trainer advised her to opt for an easier double twist but her score was a lowly 14.933.

"It was a mistake. I had to take a chance there," Komova recalled.

But the Russian came back on uneven bars to score 15.400 to top the table with a total of 30.333. Wieber's left hand slipped on the lower bar to mark 13.600. She slipped to fourth spot overall, about one point behind Komova.

But Wieber's steady and strong performance on balance beam, which earned her 15.266, put her into second spot overall behind Komova before the final event.

Wieber, whose previous international highlights included the junior all-around title at the Pacific Rim championships in Melbourne last year, was due to compete in three of the four events at the weekend.

"I hope I can carry on with confidence from the team final and today," she said.